The Framers Forum

Hi, I like a lot of framers store my board vertically. Sometimes when pulling out a dark shade (black or red) I notice there are what I call scuff marks. these are more noticeable when you turn the board into the light. Its difficult to describe, it's almost like bruising of the surface, possible when sheets have been pulled out and rub against each other. I have tried using a soft rubber which some times works but wondered if there was any other magic trick?
would appreciate any help.
Nick

Sometimes rubbing over with the palm of your (clean) hand will do the trick.

Thanks Prospero, any one else got any suggestions, it can't just be me that has this problem or an I too critical of the board I use, or the board I reject and use for mounting instead

I'm sure we all know the marks you are talking about, especially on blacks, and most dark colours.
Solution: Try not to drag them past the other boards in your pile , ie move the others out the way before lifting the piece you need out. Or use something to protect the surfaces of the worst offenders......the paper sheets between glass should work? Don't do it myself but I do try very hard not to scratch/scuff the off cuts when putting them away.
The ultimo mount board storage carts from lion are good, as are the ones people on here have made themselves, but they still require you to take care when putting boards in and when taking them out.

Treat your boards like you treat your glass and you'll see fewer scuffs

They just go in the under mount pile if any get marked we use mount board for this anyway.

Some erasers, cloths, paper towels, etc can work but they can also make their own shiny marks, wetting and allowing to dry naturally can also work. I pack some boards, especially suedettes back-to-back/face-to-face (and some boards come packed like that) and when I want a sheet I pull out two sheets that are face-to-face so only the backs are being rubbed past each other. Not so easy when there's lots of offcuts (but anything smaller than quarter of a sheet doesn't go back - goes in an offcut box - or gets tossed, depending how small) and not so easy when the boards are squeezed in tight.

Thanks to all those who responded which brings me to off cuts. I have an ever growing pile. some are just the right size to use for a window mount, some are used as a back mount. I give some away to artists. my local school can't use them due to sharp edges so I am left with lots of small / medium off cuts. I am loath to just bin them but get suspicious looks if I take a pile to the local dump (sorry recycling depot). what do other forum members do. (November 5th is coming up, perhaps that's the answer)

I've no sympathy for the suspicious looks at the dump, if you have a 'business' then waste collection/disposal is an overhead. You can get fined for dumping trade waste at a public tip - and quite rightly too, and maybe should for torching it.

Anything smaller than 16 x 12 gets filed under b, most other off cuts up to20 x 16 get used as under mounts for some regular order's we do, bigger is used as mounts.
For us the saving in cost's by finding small off cuts that will do for a mount is simply not worth the loss in time, if we were less busy and had time spare I might think differently.

Some makes of mountcard scuff more than others, especially the dark colours, try storing them face to face and back to back, I have found the Arqadia do not scuff as much as others, so I mainly use them for my dark colours

wipe over with a damp cloth as Roboframer said works a treat.

My mountboards keep going back to be re-used down to a certain size that I deem is unusable, usually around 10 x 8.
Sometimes I will salvage the cut-outs as well, depending on the size of them and if the front is not marked etc.
Anything smaller or unusable goes to the local nursery and youth club who have great fun drawing and painting on these fancy coloured boards. There have been a few paper cuts but the over zealous health and safety brigade haven't condemned it yet.
As for any tiny slips of mountboard they go into my recycling bin with the blessing of the local council waste department